Brutus Monroe Botanical Background... Day 1...Version 1

I am going to make this blog post short and sweet...

because this fantastic stamp is the star of the show.

But...

I do have a few things to tell you before sharing today's card.

1. I saw this stamp on the Brutus Monroe web site and HAD to have it

2. I saw this stamp on the Brutus Monroe webs site and HAD to have it because I immediately had a head-ful of ideas as to what I wanted to do with it.

3. I got the stamp.

4. I tried each of my ideas.

5. I was so happy with the stamp...the ideas...the cards. Love at first sight.

6. I couldn't stop myself from using the stamp and creating cards. I just kept going.

7. I created too many cards for one blog post.

and so...

I will post one version of a card 

made with the wonderful Brutus Monroe Botanical Background stamp

each day....for a few days.

Today...

I have Version 1...

First ...I wanted to do a color splash look on a few cards.
(Color splashing is a term used primarily when editing photos....
where color is added to one element in a black and white photograph)
I'm doing something similar with today's cards...
The entire image is colored in subtle neutral tones
BUT...one bloom is colored with a different...more visible and vibrant color.

The dilemma arose in deciding which bloom to add color to.
(I liked all of them)

So...to start out...

I chose the beautiful petal-bound bloom towards the center of the image...

identical ...except for the sentiment.

I colored the image with Spectrum Noir (alcohol) markers.

Added some clear Wink of Stella to the color splashed bloom...

I chose a beautiful print to complement the coral-pink bloom

and some coral tone card stock for matting...

and this is what I wound up with...

a Happy Birthday card....

a Thinking of You card...

(and I left one card without a sentiment...so that it can be used for any...or all...occasions

This wonderful stamped image is all that I had hoped..and then some.

I love and appreciate the detail on each bloom and leaf....the size of the stamp...

and the crisp clear image that this detailed stamp gives.

I did have to crop the bottom a bit (approximately an inch)

to allow for matting and placement on an A2 card

No blooms were lost with cropping the image...just a few leaves.

I am SO thrilled with adding this gorgeous stamp to 

my (already too large) collection of botanical stamps.

It is such a beautiful stamp...

and left me feeling excited about all of the card making possibilities

that have yet to be.

Tomorrow...I'll be back to share another Botanical Background card.

Thanks for visiting today...

and I hope that you'll stop by tomorrow to see Version 2!

Michelle.

PS...

You can see Botanical Background HERE .... at the Brutus Monroe web site.